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Upanishads : " The Cream of Vedas"
Vedanta ( Veda +anta i.e; the end of Vedas ) as the literal meaning connotes comprises the philosophical portion of Vedas, called the Upanishads.
Of about 280 Upanishads unearthed so far, 108 have been accepted as authorised texts , and out of them have been commented upon by great Acharyas lika Sri Sankaracharya , Sri Ramanjacharya, Sri Madhavacharya and thus are classified as major.

Eighteen supporters of yajnam are constituted of the sixteen priests ( ritvik-s ) along with the householder ( Yajamanan ) and his wife.

These eighteen are important limbs in some kind of rituals, which are performed with some given set of selfish desires.

Please note that all 'karma-s,' at all times, in all instances need not have a householder with a wife to preside over it.

As though not satisfied with merely condemning such a blind ritualistic fervour in the "ignorant fanatics," Sruti, in all kindness, is courting their imagination by threatening them with unending sorrows, in case they refuse to lift their moorings and sail out into the open seas of adventure see…

Similarly, we know the scietific fact that sound can be made only in a medium of 'space'.

If there were no space, we could not make sound, and if sound were not, we would have no object to be illuminated by the ear and so, the organ of sound can function only when it is presided over and blessed by the 'element' ( bhutam ) 'Space'
( Akasam ).

Thus, each 'indriyam' (sense) has its own 'devata,' meaning, that it has its own necessary condition to function.

These presiding deities are called "as Devatas or Devas," in Sanskrit terminology.

Similarly, a very sacred act, performed with deep sincerity, moulds the performer's mental structure and "Vasana" contents.

This is so beautifully explained in this Mantram, when the Rishi says that the very "ahuti" in the form of ' Sun's ray', leads him to the Lord of the 'Deva's' ---- this term also needs a background understanding of the "Vedantik Prakriya."

Each sense - organ is believed by the 'Sastra-s' to be presided over by onr 'Devata' ( element ).

Thus, they ( Rishi-s ) say that the 'eye' is presided over by the ' Sun' ( Fire ); the 'ears' by the '…

Death is but a total and permanent divorce between gross body and subtle content.

The mind and the intellect equipment constituting the subtle body, renounces once for all, its claim on a given structure of matter and with the reference to that enert matter-envelopment,
we say, it is dead.

For example, friends, let us all for a moment mentally go from our discussion to some distant place.

Everyone of you can picture yourself, moving on the platforms of crowded market place.

It is not merely a feeling; the feeling is well protected by your reasoning capacity.

Discussion-5. "If the Sun be thus .............'RAY OF THE SUN'......"

If the Sun be thus "a bundle of our 'Karma phala-s' ( fruit of actions )," then in the greatest of all philosophical text-books ---

the Upanishad-s Rishi-s have naturally the right to make use of the idioms and expressions, as they used in this Mantram.

In the light of the above, the 'ahuti' in the form of the 'sun's ray,' guiding the performer to the realms, where he could enjoy the fruits of his actions is perfectly scientific divinely poetic, "Ray of the Sun" would then be a term denoting the very 'good mental impressions,'
created in the minds of the performer during con…

Each one of us, according to the 'pregnant 'karma,' is here commissioned to live through and exhaust the fruits of one's own actions.

In order to live completely and fully the reactions of all 'Karma-s,' done by everyone of us, we must have a world, constituted and planned exactly as it is now.

We have already found that the conditions here on the globe are controlled and maintained by the position, intensity, and nature of the Sun.

Thus, philosophically sun is but "a bundle of the total fruits of actions."
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There is nothing revolting in this idea; only we are not accustomed to this novel definition, which is in fact, nothing but an extension and an amplification of the knowledge we already possess.

Our limited knowledge on the behaviour of nature, climatic conditions, etc., has given us enough data to believe that the Sun in the heaven is the unquestioned controller of the life of this globe.

'Loka' means a field of experiences.

If the sun were a few yards away from us or it is few yards nearer to us, you all know, what a total revolution it would make on the world, and therefore, also the very quality and quantity of the living world upon this globe.

Philosophically, the sun stands not for the self-effulgent, ever-burning, hot-orb of the heavens around which the planets and stars make their endless pilgrimage, but it represents the total effects of all 'Karma-s done by the entire living generation in the world in a particular period of time.

In a very striking manner, this idea has been exhaustively discussed in "Chandogya Upanishad, during the discussion there on the 'Suryopasana' or meditations on the Sun."

Earlier, the Upanishad pointed out the governing the eternal promises of 'Karma-Kandam or the ritualistic portion of the Vedam.

Now, this mantram explains that when one has strictly followed, as per all the rules, the rituals advocated, he will be the arch-angel to guide the departed soul to the realms of its experiences, its own fruits and actions.

The Scripture says that the very "ahuti" --- potency, in the form of a sun;s ray would guide the subtle body ( the 'Atma' ).

The mantram, without the necessary background for it, would read as though it is some fantastic story, believed by a " a humanity at its childhood."

Vedik period was a time prior to the beauty embodiments, as in "Rama or in Krishna."

A seeker who was in the 'workshop of Spiritualism' had to learn his early meditations upon the different kinds of flames that rose from the sacrificial fire ( from homakundam ) during 'Yajna-s and Yaga-s'.

The fire, you must remember, was the idol of the Vedik period to worship at and to concentrate upon.

It is by concentrating upon the different flames that the 'Upanisha-students' of the golden age of "Bharatham ( Hinduism ) sharpened their minds and intellects to soar to the deathless gloty of Vedik perfections and knowledge.

Discussion-1. "the significance of various classifications and types of flames ( fire ) in the Homa-kundam......."

The real import and the significance of various classifications and types of flames discussed herein have no parallel in modern science, since the western world has not taken fire as a topic of enquiry.

And yet, to some extent, we know the different areas in a candle-flames discussed in elementary physics-texts.

Whether there are any special significances attached to these different types of flames or not, it is not within our knowledge today to declare.

However, in this 'mantram' we can find not only the scientific approach but also the thoroughness with which the ancient Rishi-s dealt with their topics.

The seven worlds can be considered as the seven generations; three ancestors and three descendants, and himself,

Thus, a 'ritualistic karmam,' not done properly, would have consequences not only upon oneself but upon one's own father grandfather and great-grandfather and upon one's own son, grandson, and great grandson!!!

In short, the Upanishad is severely emphasising the drudgery of rules in ritualism and is trying to wean the disciple away from all 'desire-prompted karma-s.'

Only when the mind and the intellect have thus totally renounced their desires and their preoccupation with desire-prompted actions, can we hope to meditate upon and rise above into the subtler worlds of constructive med…

In this mantram, the teacher by exhaustive enumeration of all the minute "do's " and "don'ts" is aiming at the creation of b a desired effect upon the disciple.

No man of discrimination with an awakened intellect would need a greater argument to persuade him to give up the "blind-ritualistic-path."

The 'Katma-s' are limited on all sides.

If 'Agnihotra' is not followed by a strict adherence to all the above-mentioned subsidiary acts of charity and kindness, seasonal rituals and self discipline, in itself can, not only give its promised blessing, but "it shall" says the learned Master of the Upanishad, " destroy the seven worlds*** of the performer.&q…